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Click here to learn more about the proposed restructuring of UW Colleges and Extension.

In all 72 counties and 3 tribal nations in our state, UW Colleges and UW-Extension resources are hard at work supporting the learners and leaders who make our home great. We provide hundreds of programs and learning opportunities designed to foster healthier families, encourage civic engagement, build vibrant communities and power our statewide economy. And it’s working. Whether we’re opening classrooms, raising capital or planting a community garden, our institutions help more than 200,000 farmers, parents, students, neighbors and entrepreneurs do more—and achieve more together—every single day.

Explore our real Wisconsin success stories:

Leadership and Civic Engagement

Harriet R

Webster

Leadership and Civic Engagement

Harriet R

In 2014, Burnett County UW-Extension played a leading role in celebrating the centennial of the national and [formerly] world-record whitetail Jordan Buck [deer] hunt by supporting a community art project to build a larger-than-life animated Jordan Buck replica, involving 48 volunteers ages 12-70+ working 230 hours over the course of one week. The Jordan Buck appears in parades and has been performed as an educational and entertainment program for local audiences.

Nancy S

Wausau

Enhancing Quality of Life

Nancy S

UW Colleges and Extension have enriched my life as a lifelong learner.

I attended a class at UW-Marathon County (UWMC) my first semester as a high school senior in 1972, graduated high school midterm, and went to UWMC until 1975. Then I transferred to UW-Madison and graduated in 1978, afterwards returning to Wausau to live near family.

Vanessa S

West Bend

Supporting Families and Communities

Vanessa S

As a mother of four, I appreciate the convenience and opportunity of being able to earn a degree in engineering at UW-Washington County. The collaborative program with UW-Platteville makes it possible for me to complete my degree without ever leaving West Bend.

Lauren Z

Janesville

Educational Access and Innovation

Lauren Z

Starting college with big dreams — but no idea of how to make them happen — I decided to enroll in a college somewhere close to home to make sure I found the right path for me. Going to school at UW-Rock County ended up being the best decision for my overall schooling career. After expressing my dream of being a marine biologist, my advisor, Karen Greenler, informed me of UW-Whitewater’s Marine Biology program. It’s a four and half year program with your senior year spent at Deakin University in Australia.
Read the full story >

Kristen F

Pulaski

Economic Development

Kristen F

Our consulting firm is working on revitalizing downtown Pulaski, WI. Allyson Watson, Community and Economic Development Educator in Brown County has been instrumental in working with public engagement and networking with the county to secure a tenant and build momentum for the redevelopment of an iconic building in the community. We wouldn't be where we are today on the project without Allyson's help.

Board of Regents Approves Restructure of UW Colleges and UW-Extension

The UW System Board of Regents passed a resolution approving a proposal to restructure UW Colleges and UW-Extension. The resolution allows UW System President Ray Cross to proceed with planning and implementation to join the 13 two-year campuses with four-year comprehensive and research institutions. UW-Extension divisions will be joined within UW-Madison and UW System Administration.

‘Badger Promise’ program offers free tuition to first-generation Wisconsin transfer students at UW-Madison

A new program, “Badger Promise,” will provide free tuition to qualifying Wisconsin students to help them pursue their dream of a four-year degree, UW–Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank and UW Colleges and Extension Chancellor Cathy Sandeen announced Friday.

Blank proposed the program earlier this year with the goal of expanding access to lower-income Wisconsin residents and preparing the Wisconsin workforce to meet employers’ changing needs.

UW-Colleges Restructuring Will Broaden Access to Education and Keep Doors Open

In early October 2017, the University of Wisconsin system proposed a major restructuring project that would see the state’s two-year colleges merged into the state’s public four-year universities, effectively creating a system of campuses and satellite campuses across the state. Still in the proposal phase, the merger will need to gain Board approval before it’s enacted. In this interview, Cathy Sandeen discusses the reasons behind the proposed restructuring and shares her thoughts on how Wisconsin’s public two-year colleges will change—and where they must stay the same—post-merger.

The University of Wisconsin Colleges and University of Wisconsin-Extension may be led by a single chancellor and administration, but we are united by more than our infrastructure. We share a vision of vibrant Wisconsin communities, made stronger by the pioneering spirit of their people—and access to the support, information, resources and expertise of the entire University of Wisconsin.